To Ranchettes, Annexation Is A Sign Of Things To Come

Wellington — The Palm Beach Ranchettes neighborhood is getting riled up; and it wouldn't be the first time.

The rural enclave of 1-acre lots, dirt roads and horses is feeling the pressure of creeping development at its front steps as U.S. 441 increasingly becomes the commercial center of the western communities.

About two weeks ago, resident and local activist Terry Foley was riding his bike out of his community when he saw the "yellow sign," an omen of impending development. It announced Wellington's plans to annex a nearby 8-acre farm and rezone it from agricultural to commercial.

Foley began to rally the troops.

"Commercial is not an option to us," he said. "It's a matter of enough is enough. This area is all cypress trees and pine trees. It's my haven in South Florida."

Residents are gearing up to fight the proposed annexation and rezoning. They fear that once Wellington annexes the land just south of the Olympia development, the other last-remaining agricultural areas east of 441 would follow. And stores and office buildings would sprout in their place.

Developers of the 8 acres are proposing a mixed-use development of furniture stores, other retail and storage called Wellington Design Center.

Recently, they asked the village to postpone a Feb. 2 hearing on the annexation and rezoning for a month to meet with homeowners and address their concerns. But owners' representative Kevin McGinley, of Land Research Management, points out a mix of residential and commercial has become the norm on 441.

The county has raised some concerns about allowing commercial use on the land. Wellington officials said they would not annex the land if the county objected.

Ranchettes residents are intent on keeping the land agricultural or low-density housing.

"I know development comes," said resident Sandy Parker. "To me, there has to be a point when someone speaks up for the public and not just the developers."

Palm Beach Ranchettes residents have been speaking up against development since the 1980s -- all in the name of preserving their little piece of paradise. Development still came, but residents often were able to get concessions.

In the late 1980s, the neighborhood was part of "the last frontier," a large tract of undeveloped land between two-lane U.S. 441 and Florida's Turnpike with a smattering of homes on wells and septic tanks.

But developers discovered the area. Residents put up a fuss when three developers proposed putting in 1,800 homes just south of Ranchettes. Instead of seeing trees and bushes while peering across a canal, they would see homes, people and cars.

The county allowed the homes, but residents were able to get the density down to two units per acre.

Twice, they geared up to stop an extended Lyons Road from slicing through their neighborhood and won.

In the second Lyons Road battle, they got the county to agree to building Lyons Road through the neighborhood only when 441 reached capacity at eight lanes and restricting Lyons to two lanes.

Residents also opposed the 78-home Talavera community being built at the entrance to Ranchettes on Palomino Drive. Talavera was approved, but they managed to get fewer homes approved for the new development and speed bumps on Palomino.

With each new development, the neighborhood feels squeezed. It is part of both Wellington's and Greenacres's future annexation area, but residents say they don't want to be a part of either.

And so they watch as Wellington pursues its mission to make 441 a commercial corridor.

"Within the last five to seven years, it has drastically changed," said Park, who has lived in Ranchettes for 23 years. "It's kind of sad when you've lived out here this long. We're trying to keep what little bit of tranquility we have out here."

Angel Streeter can be reached at astreeter@sun-sentinel.com or 561-243-6643.